Temporary sectional railway-track.



' A. WHITCRAFT. TEMPORARY SECTIONAL RAILWAY TRACK.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6. 1918.

v Patented Oct. 15, 1918..

v I 1 I I I I l I l 1 I I I I I I I I I I I l I l I I 1 l I I I l 1 provided nection or joint being ARTHUR wmTcnArT, or ROCHESTER, iv'nwyonx, assxenon To AMERICAN Manda} erase STEEL comranv, or AUGUSTA, mama, A conrona'rron or mam.

' TEM'BOBARY SECTIONAL RAILWAY-Timon;

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 15, 1918,

Application filed ma 6, 1918. Serial No. 232,87 9

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR WHITCKAFT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have'made and invented certain new and useful Improvements in Temporary Sectional Railway-Tracks, ,of-

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to-sectional track designed to be used with steam shovels and in similar service wherein a temporary track, and one which may be readily put in place and as readily taken up or moved from one in order that the steam shovel or other device may be movedv along the track intoa position adjacent the bank to be dug away, is desired. Such sectional track is also commonly used at places where the contents of cars are to be dumped, and, in fact, in any place. and in any service where a temporary railway track capable of being readilyput in place and taken up and moved to a new location is deemed necessary or desirable.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a sectional track made up of a plurality of separate straight rails arranged in alinement with one another and in which place to another,

an improved form of joint is provided between the ends of successive rails, the conand somewhat loose so may be arranged at an angle with one another provided for in the track as installed,'while still maintaining a connection between successive rails of suficient strength and permanency to permit the steam shovel or other vehicle to run thereupon without danger of derailment.

A further object of my invention is to provide a sectional track in which-the separate rails are formed from cast metal, preferably cast manganese steel, and in which the means whereby a plvotal connection is between successive rails is formed integrally with the rail sections; and in which said separate rails are also preferably provided with integrally formed lugs located upon their inner sides whereby the ends of suitable spacing members may be and thus permitting such an amount pivotal in character a that successlve ralls and a certain degree of curvature thus meeting ends of connected with twolines of rails, to thereby I keep them a proper maintain the proper gage distance apart and of the track after it is installed. v

A further-object of provide a sectional or temporary railway track in which one end of the bearing portion or treadof each rail extends beyond the end of the base portion of the next adjacentrail; and in which, preferably,the end of the tread ofone rail is or may be supported .by the baseportion of the next following time maintaining the rail while at the same pivotal connectlon. between successive ra ls curvature in the track as may be necessary in order to bring the device operating thereupon into proper position.

With the above and other objects in View, my invention consists in the improved sectional track and subordinate and auxiliary parts and features thereof, illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification, the same being described at length in the following specification and particularly claimed at the end thereof;-and in such variations and modifications of the particular embodiment of my invention illustrated and described as will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates.

Referring to the drawing wherein the preferred embodiment of my invention is i1- lustrated Figure 1 my improved seotionaltrack in plan;

Fig. 2 is a view showing a section taken upon vertical transverse planes indicated by the broken line 2,2,Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing the two successive rails and the joint between them, in side elevation;

Fig. 4: is a view showing a section taken I upon a vertical transverse plane indicated by the line 4, 4:, Fig. 8;

Fig. 5 is a view showing the end of one rail, and one member of the pivotal connection between successive rails, in perspective;

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the end of the next adjacent rail; and,

Fig. 7 is a view showing a section through is a view showing a portion of v my invention is to l the joint and upon a horizontal plane indiment although the pivotal connections be-.

tween the meeting ends of successive rails are so designed, as will hereinafter appear, as to permit each rail to be slight-angle to the next preceeding rail, in order that such curvature as may be necessary or desirable in order to bring the shovel or other device into proper relation with "the work to be done may be provided for and enter holes 11 in the track when installed. The separate rails are preferably made in comparatively short lengths, and straight, although they may obviously be made curved in form to provide for excessive curvature in the track when installed, or in portions thereof; and the track formed by the two lines of rails will ordinarily rest. upon suitable cross ties, not shown, although in certain types or kinds of service the rails may rest directly on the ground.

The two lines of rails are kept at the proper distance apart to maintain the proper gage ofthe track by means of spacing members 9 the ends 10 of which, in the form of my invention shown, are bent downward provided in lugs 12 formed upon the inside of the rails; two

- such lugs being preferably provided upon each separate rail, and two spacing members, as shown, being preferably used wlth each pair of rails. The separate rail sections 8 are preferablymade from cast metal,

in which case the side lugs 12, as well also as the lugs and other features hereinafter described whereby pivotal connections are provided for at the ends of the rails and between each rail and the next following rail, -are formed integrally with the rail; each rail with its side lugs and joint members at its ends being thus a single integral structure whereby a temporary track which 13 simple in construction, and one which may be installed and removed at a minimum'of trouble and expense, is secured.

The rail sections designated as a whole by the reference numeral 8 are shown as of the ordinary standard section, that is, as com prising a base portion 13, a centrally disposed web 14, and a head 15 supported by andex-v tending along said web. and also the head so ported thereby, extend beyond the end 16- of the base'at one end of the rail, as best shown in Fig. 5; and terminates short of' the end 17 of the base at the=other end of the rail, as best shown in Fig. 6. The lower portion of the web at my improved arranged at a;

surfaces at which asv cast manganese steel;

The web, however,-

the end of the rail where it extends beyond the base is cut away, as shown at 18, in order-that the end of the web referred tomay extend over or overlap the base of the next succeeding rail, and be supported by the said base 'portionshould the endof the rail first referred to tend to move downward, as will be understood from Figs. 3, 5 and 6. The cutting away of the under side of the web in question, in addition to providing for the support of the end of one rail .by' the adjacent end of the next following rail, secures a construction in which the heads of successive rails aline with one another; and also a construction in which the various two successive rails contact with each other at the joint between them are in different planes, or in which the several contactingsurfaces are so arranged 4 such ends may, if desired, be so cut off as to lie in-transverse planes at -right angles to the axis of the rail should sucha. constructure be deemed preferable or desirable.

'-The joint whereby a pivotal connection is secured between the meeting ends of successive rail sections 8 is shown as comprising lugs located adjacent the end of one rail, and projections located adjacent the end of the other rail and adapted to engage and interlock with said lugs; the entire joint forming mechanism and all the elements and parts thereof being permanently associated with the rails, so that there are no auxiliary parts separate from the rails which have to be used forsecuring the railstogether in installing the track; from which it follows that the track may be put in place, and taken up and moved to another location, with a minimum of effort.

.Referring more particularly to the pivotal connection or joint in question, the ref,- erence numeral 21 designates two lugs disposed upon opposite sides of the web 14 of. a rail, and located adjacent the end thereof at which the head terminates short of the end of the base and between the end of the head and the end of the rail; said lugs being shown as formed integrally with and extending upward from the base 13 of the rail. These lugs are spaced apart from one another because of their arrangement upon opposite sides of the web 14; the space between them is preferably closed by a bottom wall formed by the base 13 at the end of the rail at which they are located, thus providinga recess having a closed bottom between the lugs; and said lugs are provided with recesses or openings 22 leading downward from their top walls and the bottoms of which two recesses, considered together, provide a seat extending transversely of the end of the rail here referred to and adapted to receive the laterally extending projecof my invention tions 23 of the other rail.

9 The laterally extending pro ectlons 23 of k the second rail are located upon opposite sides of the web 14,

end of the base, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The end of the web lies'between the lugs 21., and the projections 23 lie within the transverse seat provided by the bottoms of the recesses 22, when the ends of two adjacent rails are connected together through and by means of the joint in question; and the bottom wall 18 where the end of the web is cut away is at such a height that it will contact with and rest upon the bottom wall of the recess between the lugs 21 in the embodiment illustrated; from which it follows that the end of the rail shown in Fig. 5 will be supported by the base of the rail shown in Fig. 6, when the two are joined together in'the manner illustrated in Fig. 3. It will be appreciated, however, that two successive rails will be pivotally connected with each other through and by means of the lugs 21, and the projections 23 fitting into the recesses 22, even though the bottom of the pocket or recess between the lugs be omitted and an open bottom recess used in lieu thereof; the supporting feature whereby the end of one rail is supported by the base of the next being independent of the joint between the meeting ends of the rails.

It will be observed that there is considerable looseness or play between the various elements which form the joint or connection between the rails, whlch feature is provided be provided for.

The rail sections are obviously connected with one another in a positive manner, and in such a way that they cannot become accidentally disconnected, notwithstanding the looseness at the joints above referred to; and

curved rail sections may obviously be employed in case the permissible looseness at the joints is found'to be insuflicient to provide the degree of curvature required in any particular case, or in any particular service;

Having thus described and explained my invention, 1- claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a sectional track, a rail having a and at the end of the 'rail at which the web extends beyond the base, a centrally disposed web, and a head terminating short of the end of the base; a second rail having a base, a centrally disposed web extending beyond the end of the base and the lower portion of which is cut away so that said web may extend over and be supported by the base of the first-mentioned rail, and a head adapted to aline with the head of said first-mentioned rail; and means for providing a pivotal connection between the meeting ends of said rails.

2. In a sectional track, a rail formed from cast metal and having securing devices'located one at each of its v.ends and formed integrally therewith, and which securing devices are adapted to engage with similarly located securing devices formed integrally with abutting rails, to thereby pivotally connect successive rails together.

v 3. In a sectional track, a rail formed from cast metal and having means at its ends formed integrally therewith whereby the same maybe pivotally connected with other rails, and having also a lug formed upon its inner side and integrally therewith to receive the end of a spacing member.

4. In a sectional track, two rails formed from cast metal and having means at their ends formed integrally therewith whereby they may be pivotally connected with other rails, and each of which rails is provided with two lugs formed integrally therewith and located upon its inner side and one adjacent each of its ends; and two transversely extending spacing members extending between, and'the ends ofwhich are pivotally connected with, said lugs.

' a 5. In a sectional track, a rall formed from cast metal and having a base, a centrally disposed web extending beyond the end of the base at one end and terminating short of the end of the base at the other end, a head supported by the web, and securing members adjacent the ends of the rail and formed integrally therewith and adapted to detachably engage similarly located securing members upon abutting rails, to thereby pivotally connect successive rails together.

6. In a sectional track, a plurality of rails arranged in alinement and each of which has a base, a centrally disposed web extending beyond the end of the base at one end and terminating .hort' of the end of the base at the other end, and a head supported by the web; and two separable fastening members.

formed integrally with the respective ends of abutting rails and adapted to engage each other, whereby the end of each rail is pivotally connected with the end of the next following rail, the end of the web of each rail extending over and being supported by the base of the next following rail.

7. In a sectional track, a plurality of rails arranged in alinement and each of which has a base, a centrally disposed web extending beyond the end of the base at one end and terminating short of the end of the base at the other end, and a head supported by the web; two separable fastening members 5 'formed integrally with the respective ends of abutting rails and adapted to engage each other, whereby the end of each rail is pivotally connected with the end of the next following rail; and means whereby that end I 10 of each rail which has the web extending beyond the base is supported by the end of a following rail having the Web terminating short of the end of the base.

Signed at Pittsburgh in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, this 15 7th day of March A. D. 1918.

ARTHUR WHITCRAFT. 'Witnesses:

- DOROTHY INGLE,

EMMA LA MONTGOMERY. 

